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2 weeks ago | 
thepeoplesfriend.co.uk | Alan Spink
Our Writer Of The Week is author Hazel Meredith-Lloyd. Hazel’s short story, “Mystery By The Book”, appears in the May 31 issue, on sale this week. Humour and intrigue work well in “Mystery By The Book”. Is a well-balanced plot something you enjoying crafting? Absolutely. I really enjoy studying story structure, plot, characterisation and setting. My sister introduced me to a book by John Yorke about story structure, titled “Into The Woods: How Stories Work And Why We Tell Them”.
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3 weeks ago | 
thepeoplesfriend.co.uk | Alan Spink
Our Writer Of The Week is debut author Katherine Abbott. Katherine’s short story, “Escape To The Country”, appears in Special 277, on sale this week. The storytelling flowed naturally in “Escape To The Country”. Was it an easy story to write? “Escape To The Country” was born out of conversations with family members about generations of time spent in Lincolnshire as children. It did flow, that’s true, a bit like a picture gradually unfolding before the eye.
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4 weeks ago | 
thepeoplesfriend.co.uk | Alan Spink
Our Writer Of The Week is author Patsy Collins. Patsy’s short story, “Rooted In Love”, is in Special 276, on sale now. In your story the characters’ emotions felt real. Is this a process you enjoy capturing. Very much so. I think fiction is a good place to explore emotions. Not many of us will have been in the exact situation as the people in this (or any other) story, but I bet at times we’ve all felt at least one of the emotions reflected in Rhiannon.
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1 month ago | 
thepeoplesfriend.co.uk | Alan Spink
Our Writer Of The Week is author Gillian Harvey. Gillian’s short story, “Out Of Water”, is in Special 276, which is on sale now. In your story, there’s good chemistry between your characters. Is romance easy for you to write? I’m interested in people and relationships – whether romantic or otherwise. And connection between people is often the key to a successful story.
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1 month ago | 
thepeoplesfriend.co.uk | Alan Spink
Our Writer Of The Week is author Becca Robin. Becca’s new serial, “Best Foot Forward”, begins in the April 26 issue, on sale this week. Morris dancing brings the characters together in your serial. What is it about this type of dancing that appeals to you? I love all kinds of dancing but morris dancing, like other types of folk dancing, seems to me particularly joyful and life-affirming.
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1 month ago | 
thepeoplesfriend.co.uk | Alan Spink
Our Writer Of The Week is author Gillian Dean. Gillian’s short story, “To Brave The Sea”, is in the April 19 issue, on sale this week. In your story, the sea proves healing balm to your protagonist. What is it about nature that enthuses you in your writing? I have always been a keen hiker and walker and Scotland’s mountains are beautiful – rugged and unpredictable. Mountain and sea landscapes are constantly changing depending on the weather conditions, but they always endure.
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2 months ago | 
thepeoplesfriend.co.uk | Alan Spink
Our Writer Of The Week is author Sara Partington. Sara’s new serial, “A Deadly Discovery”, begins in the April 12 issue, on sale this week. In my mind, this is your best serial yet for the “Friend”. How would you describe “A Deadly Discovery” to the readers? Very kind. I hope “Friend” readers enjoy it as much as I was entertained researching and writing it.
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2 months ago | 
thepeoplesfriend.co.uk | Alan Spink
Our Writer Of The Week is debut author Veronica Leigh. Veronica’s short story, “Sweet Nothings”, is in the April 5 issue, on sale this week. The feel-good tone of “Sweet Nothings” clearly stands out. Do you feel the “Friend” complements your story writing? Thank you. I feel having the story published in “The People’s Friend” is a compliment in itself. Writing romance is a change of pace for me, so to have this attempt at a new genre accepted by a magazine of its calibre is an honour.
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Feb 24, 2025 | 
thepeoplesfriend.co.uk | Alan Spink
Our Writer Of The Week is debut author Katherine Wagner. Katherine’s story, “Built To Last”, appears in Special 273, on sale this week. “Built To Last” makes for a reflective read. Can you relate to the narrator’s quandary in the story? Are the stories you like to read the types of stories you write? As a writer, do you set yourself goals? Is there a story world or location, real or imaginary, that you would like to visit? Notebook and pencil or laptop? Kitchen table or study?
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Feb 17, 2025 | 
thepeoplesfriend.co.uk | Alan Spink
Our Writer Of The Week is Charmaine Fletcher. Charmaine’s story, “Done And Dusted”, appears in the February 22 cosy crime fiction mini mag. “Done And Dusted” makes for a page-turning read. How much time do you spend refining your plotlines? Plots tend to come easily to me, so I type them in one go, then doublecheck facts and even words (for historical usage) to maximise accuracy. If I have a day or so, I’ll leave the story (while working on something else) and return to it.
